Roof and the like covering



W. H. GRIFFITHS.

ROOF AND THE LIKE COVERING. APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1922.

Patented Aug. 1, 1922.

ROOF AND THE LIKE COVERING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1922.

Application filed April 14, 1922. Serial No. 552,555.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM HARRY GRIF- FITHs, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Hereford, England, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in and Relating to Roofs and the like Coverings,of which the following is a specificationL The present invention relatesto improvements in and relating to roof and the like coverings, andbeing particularly applicable to sheet-metal, especiallycorrugated-iron, roofings, it will be hereinafter described in thatapplication.

Galvanized or corrugated iron roofing is open to the objection of makingthe barn, shed, or other building, hot, dark, and ill ventilated.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantagesby using c0v ering sheets or plates so perforated as to admit light, toallow heated air and moisture, for example, steam in engine sheds. topass off, and yet be proof for all or most practical purposes againstthe entrance of rain.

To these ends the present invention broadly consists in the manufactureand use of roofing or the like sheets or plates with small holes ornarrow or slit-like openings which remain uncovered in use and which areso constructed that only a fine mist or spray can find entrance even ina heavy rain.

More particularly the present invention consists in perforating metalsheets or plates with small holes or narrow or slit-like openings, theperimeters of which are raised or bulged outwards and conveniently andadvantageously sloping towards each other like the wall of a conicalprojection or a V- shaped rib raised up on the sheet or plate, the metalat or along the top of the projection for the purposes of the presentinvention being pierced or severed rather than punched out.

Thus the sides of the perforations tend to form rain uards and to shedthe rain.

In application to corrugated iron, the lines of openings will preferablybe in the direction of and at the tops of the folds, this position atthe top of the folds ordinarily ensuring that there is little or nodwell of water in the vicinity of the openings.

For forming the openings, slender chisellike cutters or piercing cuttersor punches will serve with appropriate counter parts or bolsters shapedto allow of the raising or bulging of the perimeters.

By an appropriate system of rotary cutters or piercers and counterparts,the open-' ings may be cut or pierced during the rolling of the sheets.

In the accompanying drawings there is shewn two examples of perforatedmetal sheets or plates according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a part of a sheet or plate having narrowslit-like openings, the lines of openings being arranged in thedirection of and. at the tops of the folds. Fig. 2 is a section of acorrugated sheet or plate.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of part of a corrugated sheet or plate havingsmall holes.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of. the drawings a corrugated metal sheet 1has narrow slitlike openings 2 therein. The openings 2 are in thedirection of and at the top of the folds As is shewn in Fig. 2theperimeters 4 of the openings 2 are raised or bulged outwards and slopetowards each other, the metal at or along the top of the projectionbeing pierced or severed.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a construction of metal sheet or plate 5having small holes 6 in place of the narrow slit-like openings shewn inthe previous figures.

lVith corrugated sheets so perforated with cuts or slit-like openingswith raised or bulging sides, the rain drops split on the cut and rundown the folds, and in heavy rain, the wet that finds entrance is but afaintly perceptible mist or spray drift which is ordinarily absorbed bythe air in the building, or has no more wetting power than fog.

As an example of lay out it has been found that a corrugated sheethaving narrow slitlike openings of about .03" in width works well,though this width may be increased especially if the edges of the slitare raised. The length and number of the slits depend on the strength ofthe roof and amount of ventilation, etc., desired, but with slits of thewidth mentioned a length of 1 to 1% with about half an inch intervalsbetween the ends of the slits, which are arranged at the tops of thecorrugations would generally be a suitable arrangement.

In an actual temperature test it was found that where a building wascovered partly with sheets made as herein described a thermometer placedunder and touching the terial as being used for roofing, the plates madeas herein described can also be used for the protection of other partsof buildings, sheds, tents, etc.

What I claim is 2-- 1. As an article of manufacture a sheet metalroofing-plate comprising a sheet having small openings therein, with anupstanding perimeter to each of said openings, for the purposesdescribed.

2. As an article of manufacture a sheet metal roofing-plate comprising asheet having small openings therein with an upstanding perimeter to eachsaid opening, said perimeter sloping towards the centre of the opening,for the purposes described.

3. As an article of manufacture a sheet metal roofing-plate comprising acorrugated sheet having lines of narrowslit-like openings arranged inthe direction of and at the top of the folds of said sheet, withupstanding perimeters to the openings, the perimeters of each openingsloping towards the centre thereof for the purposes described.

4. As an article of manufacture a sheet metal roofing-plate comprising acorrugated sheet having lines of holes arranged in the direction of andat the tops of the folds of said sheet, the perimeter of each hole beingupstanding and sloping towards the centre thereof, for the purposesdescribed.

5. As an article of manufacture, a sheet metal roofing plate havingsmall openings therein of such a size as to normally prevent the directentrance of rain drops, but to admit light and to permit the escape ofair or other gas or vapor, the sides of said openings being raised abovethe main body of the sheet. 7

6. As an article of manufacture, a sheet metal roofing plate havingnarrow slits therein of such a width as to normally prevent the directentrance of rain drops, but to admit light and to permit the escape ofair or other gas or vapor, the sides of said slits being raised abovethe main body of the sheet.

7. As an article of manufacture a sheet metal roofing plate comprising acorrugated sheet having small openings along the tops of thecorrugations,such openings being of such a size as to normally excluderaindrops, but to admit light and to permit the escape therethrough ofair or other gases or vapors.

8. As an article of manufacture a sheet metal roofing plate comprising acorrugated sheet having very narrow slits along the tops of thecorrugations, such slits being of such a size as to normally excluderaindrops, but to admit light and to permit the escape therethrough ofair or other gases or vapors.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM HARRY GRIFFITHS.

